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THE INSIDE NEWS

DISPATCHER • January 2012 1

Vol 70, No 1 • jaNuary 2012www.ilwu.org

Published by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union

DISPATCHERLETTERS TO DISPATCHER 2

First woman from Local 4 retires 2

New Zealand dockers face struggle at public ports 3

Local 13 member receives LAPD ‘Hero’ award 7

TRANSITIONS 8

ILWU BOOKS & VIDEO 8

remembering ron Dalgarno. page 2

EGT signs ILWU contract ending labor dispute, but County Attorney

still prosecuting workers and supporters

Unity was key at EGT: This photo was taken after Local 21 members voted unanimously to support the framework agreement. Pictured here from left to right are: Bob McEllrath, ILWU Int’l President; Dan Coffman, Local 21 President; Leal Sundet, ILWU Coast Committeeman, Jake Whiteside, Local 21 Vice President (front); Byron Jacobs, Local 21 Secretary-Treasurer.

W hen the grain ship MV Full Sources arrived at EGT’s multinational

grain export facility in Longview, Washington, on February 7, it marked a significant victory in one of the most militant labor disputes in recent decades: the fight to keep all major grain export terminals on the West Coast represented by the ILWU.

trains and performing other tasks. The workforce is entirely made up of registered longshoremen from the ILWU/PMA joint dispatch hall, and all pension, healthcare, vaca-tions, and holidays are paid through the ILWU/PMA benefit plans. Like the grain companies that make up the Pacific Northwest Grain Eleva-tor Operators – signatories with the ILWU to the Pacific Northwest Grain Handlers’ Agreement that has been in

A new five-year collective bargain- ing agreement, signed on February 10, ensures that ILWU Local 21 members will perform all of the landside and shipside operations at EGT’s state-of-the-art, $200 million grain elevator. Both production and maintenance work are covered by the agreement, with a regular ILWU workforce employed for daily operations and a pool of employees available to work as needed when servicing incoming vessels, barges, continued on page 6

ILWU International President Robert McEllrath, union members, and supporters continue to face trial for exercising their First Amendment Rights to protest during the EGT dispute

2 DISPATCHER • January 2012

Craig MerrileesCommunications Director and Managing Editor

roy San FilippoEditor

IlWu TITlED oFFICErSrobert McEllrath, Presidentray a. Familathe, Vice President, MainlandWesley Furtado, Vice President, Hawaii William E. adams, Secretary-Treasurer

The Dispatcher (ISSN 0012-3765) is published monthly except for a combined july/august issue, for $5.00 a year and $10.00 a year for non-members by the IlWu, 1188 Franklin St., San Francisco, CA 94109. Periodical postage paid at San Francisco, CA. The Dispatcher welcomes letters, photos and other submissions to the above address © IlWu, 2012. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Dispatcher, 1188 Franklin St., San Francisco, CA 94109-6800.

DISPATCHER

LETTERS TO THE DISPATCHERDear Editor,

I am the elected President of IlWu local 34 in San Francisco, but the following opinions are strictly my own.

I want to express my concern about a few individuals who were speaking in public last fall as though they were representing the rank-and-file membership when occupy oakland announced plans to shut our port in early November and again in December.

I believe in free speech rights and I support the goals of the occupy movement when it challenges corporate greed and advocates for the 99%. I’m also proud that our union has a long tradition of defending everyone’s right to express different and controversial viewpoints. But that doesn’t allow a few individuals to imply that they can speak for the majority of us when we weren’t consulted.

our tradition of rank-and-file democracy allows members to make decisions and set policy for our union. Issues can easily be raised in local meetings and resolutions can be passed by the membership. locals can petition the Coast Caucus to convene. The membership of each local

elects their officers, executive board members, and delegates to the International Convention. and unlike many unions, we directly elect our International officers with each member getting one vote.

So when it comes to important decisions, such as job actions and shutting down a port, all of us need to be involved and consulted before anyone attempts to speak for us. It’s a matter of common decency, respect for our co-workers, and honoring the democratic decision-making process in our union. Those who are unwilling to show such respect deserve to be challenged for their arrogance toward the membership.

If we’re serious about challenging the power of the 1% in this country then we need to do it democratically and do it together – not as lone wolves or individual self-styled revolutionaries. let’s stick together and build working-class power on the job, in our union and in our communities.

Fraternally, Sean Farley

Send your letters to the editor to: The Dispatcher, 1188 Franklin St., San Fran-cisco, CA 94109-6800 or email to editor@ilwu.org

Jean Stanek retired at the beginning of the year, mak-ing her the first woman

pensioner from ILWU Local 4. The Vancouver, WA native joined the local in 1988 at the urging of other Local 4 mem-bers who knew her from her waitressing job. “I was born and raised in Van-couver and didn’t even know that the Port of Vancouver existed until a longshoreman took me on a tour of the port,” said Stanek. “I was a single woman raising four kids on the salary of a waitress and ILWU members urged me to get a job as a longshore-man because it was a job that paid

well, had good health care and a pen-sion.” She eventually made a career of working on the docks which enabled her to have a much higher standard of living for her family.

Jean worked shifts as a casual in addition to her waitressing job because she didn’t want to lose the “safety net” of her waitressing job. It took her 7 years before finally reach-ing “B” status. Stanek said that a lot has changed at the Port of Van-couver since 1988. “When I started they didn’t even have separate facilities for women.” She said it took a while for her to get comfort-able on the waterfront. “There were no female footsteps for me to follow in,” said Stanek. “But I never wanted to be handled with kid gloves. I did

the work and learned the ropes just like anyone and I think I earned the respect of the men because of that.”

Stanek has become a “matri-arch” to other women in the Local. She said she advises women to learn as many different jobs as they can on the docks and not get comfort-able doing just one thing. “You never know what will be your road to the future down the line,” she said.

During her career, Stanek was elected to the E-board of Local 4 and was a Health and Welfare officer.

“I’m very proud and honored to have been given the opportunity to serve in the ILWU,” Stanek said. “I will always carry of piece of the ILWU with me wherever I go.”

First woman longshoreman from ILWU Local 4 retires

Newly retired Local 4 member, JeanStanek, with her dog, Rudy. Jean is the

first woman to retire from ILWU Local 4.

Ron Dalgarno, Local 21 member, Labor Relations Committeeman, remembered for his honesty, dedication the ILWU

Harry and Ron: This candid photo of Harry Bridges embracing Dalgarno was one of Ron’s favorite pictures. Also pictured here from left to right are Martin Jugum, Ray Rhinehart and Dick Erickson.

continued on page 5

The ILWU Local 21 hall in Longview was packed on January 21st with

friends and family who gath-ered together to remember Ron Dalgarno, a longtime Local 21 member who passed away on January 16th at the age of 73. Ron joined ILWU Local 43 in the early 60s when he helped to organize his shop, Welsh Panel, into the warehouse local.

“It was great to see so many peo-ple at the hall on Saturday to cel-ebrate Ron’s life and hear how he impacted people’s lives,” said Jason Lundquist, Ron’s step son, who is also a member of Local 21. “He was my best friend.”

Ron obtained class “B” registra-tion in Local 21 in 1963 and soon after became “A” registered. Ron was a proud member of the ILWU and began serving on the Labor Relations Committee of Local 21 and attended longshore caucuses

as a delegate in the 70s and 80s. He retired in 2000.

He was well known up and down the Coast for his frank, honest and colorful commentary in meetings and at the post-caucus discussions. He became good friends with Harry Bridges at these gatherings, and he

and Harry shared stories first at Har-ry’s favorite hangout, Harrington’s in San Francisco, and later at a conven-tion and caucus in Vancouver, BC.

“You always knew where you stood with Ron because he would

Editor’s note: The january issue of the Dispatcher was held up as we awaited the good news coming out of longview, Wa. We apologize for the delay.

DISPATCHER • January 2012 3

Australian dock workers in the ports of Adelaide and Melbourne returned

to work after a negotiated cease-fire between workers belong-ing to the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and terminal operator, Dubai Ports World (DP World). A series of job ac-tions and retaliatory lockouts had disrupted cargo transports in the two ports. The lockout is becoming the weapon of choice for aggressive employ-ers around the globe who are trying to

“We had some serious problems with bad managers in the beginning,” said ILWU Canada President Tom Dufresne, “but those managers were eventually fired and things have been better since.”

On January 4th, DP World announced plans for a three-year agreement in Vancouver, British Columbia that would expand opera-tions to include the Port of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, including the general cargo at the Duke Point facil-ity and Assembly Wharf. Dufresne said, “We’ll be keeping a close eye on DP World.”

undermine wages and working condi-tions in pursuit of increased profit.

“We’ve never had any issue with DP World - even during the Patrick dispute in 1998. All we can put it down to is a high turnover in management at the global level.” said Paddy Crum-lin, National Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia.

The central issue in the fight is safety and working conditions on the docks. The MUA members made it clear in their vote to return to work that the safety concerns were not negotiable.

“We need to make it clear to all stevedores that we are insisting on sig-

nificant safety improvements to be deliv-ered in workplace agreements,” Crumlin said. Australian port workers have a 40 percent greater risk of death compared to other workers in the country.

Other issues in the dispute include compensation and the regularization of a large casual workforce.

DP World, based in Dubai, is the third largest stevedoring company worldwide, operating more than 60 terminals across six continents.

DP World does not currently oper-ate in any West Coast U.S. ports, but has been operating for six years at Cen-tennial Pier at the Port of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada.

Maritime Union of Australia fights for justice and job safety with DP World

Over 300 workers and their families are being attacked at the Ports of

Auckland in New Zealand by the anti-worker government that owns and operates the ports. Negotiations for a new contract began on September 6, 2011 be-tween the public port and work-ers represented by the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ). Joe Fleetwood, General-Secretary of the MUNZ, says that public port offi-cials are threatening to fire all workers unless the union agrees to all employer demands, including:

• Anendtoregularscheduledshifts.

• Management’srighttosendworkers home after three hours.

• Noadvancenotice fordangerous,mandatory 12-hour and consecu-tive shifts.

“Flexibility”

Management is claiming they need more “flexibility” from the union, although up to one-quarter of the workforce can already be employed on a casual basis – with another 25% as “permanent part-time” workers. And the union already agreed to more flex-ibility by approving an ongoing pro-ductivity-tracking process.

nate ports that ignore basic labor rights and fall short of minimum standards. A similar system is already in place for labeling ships that operate under a “flag of convenience” by registering in countries that ignore minimum labor standards.

“The outrageous anti-union actions by New Zealand port officials are making them a prime candidate for a worldwide campaign to defend work-ers’ rights,” said ILWU International Vice President Ray Familathe who also serves as Second Vice-Chair of the ITF Dockers Section. “The Port of Conve-nience” label hasn’t been assigned yet to any port, but Auckland officials are making a good case for being the first to win this dubious distinction.”

Action by New Zealand workers

Workers in New Zealand’s “essen-tial industries,” including ports, are required to give 14-days notice before taking strike action. The union has given four such notices – and has taken strike actions on five days so far in the struggle. These are the first strikes by workers at the Port of Auckland in almost four years.

President Parsloe has said that members will consider more strikes if management continues their effort to “casualize” workers and destroy job security.

Modest wage increases & higher productivity.

The union’s wage demands have also signaled flexibility by seeking a 2.5% wage increase of the base rate for stevedores that currently stands at $27 an hour. Also, union workers can’t be criticized for productivity at the Ports of Auckland – which operate 24/7 – because the public port man-agement recently congratulated work-ers for achieving the “best ever” crane moves per hour.

“Casualization” is key

Garry Parsloe, National President of the MUNZ says the key issue is coming down to the “casualization” of port employees and other workers in New Zealand who face similar attacks. “Employers want workers to be on standby, on call, and working a few hours here or there,” he says. “They want us to give up any hope of a struc-tured, healthy life by knowing what hours we’ll be working from one day to the next.”

Privatized and de-unionized next?

While squeezing workers to make concessions of all kinds, there are also moves afoot to privatize the publically-owned ports by selling them outright to investors or contracting-out manage-ment to private firms. A government commission just published an unfin-

ished report that calls for the ports to be privatized and de-unionized. During the last contract, management tried – but failed – to contract-out crane driv-ers, straddle drivers, and lashing. They did succeed in contracting-out the jobs of four shuttle drivers who move con-tainers within the port. The public port even created a company they want to employ non-union workers – including stevedore workers – at the port.

Sign an “individual agreement” to get a raise

The Port’s anti-union plan includes recruiting workers to sign “individual agreements” who are rewarded with 10% pay raises. But because manage-ment retains scheduling power, the actual amount workers earn over the course of a year could suffer.

Is Auckland becoming a “Port of Convenience?”

Dockworker unions around the world are closely following the struggle in New Zealand. On January 19, the International Transport Workers Fed-eration announced that anti-worker actions by management at the Port of Auckland could result in a “Port of Convenience” designation that would trigger action by ITF affiliates around the world.

The term “Port of Convenience” was coined in 2006 by ITF unions – including the ILWU – in order to desig-

New Zealand workers face serious struggle at public ports

Family Man: Ron Bell (53) is striking for his four daughters’ future. Ron is a stevedore at the Ports of Auckland. He will have worked on the waterfront for 31 years this coming April and has been a union member since he was 17.

“I just want our guys to keep their jobs on decent hours and not get shat on waiting by the phone 24 hours a day,” he says. “People before us made our conditions what they are today and they should stay that way.”

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Fair Rostering: From the left - Max Thorton (5), Shaun (43), Nina (4), Amy (5), Leah (37) and Ben (9).

4 DISPATCHER • January 2012

Southern California Children’s Christmas Party

The Southern California ILWU Children’s Christmas Party helped an estimated 3,000 kids have a happy holiday season according to Lisa Tonson, lead person for the Holiday Events Committee. Over 200 volun-teers helped to make this event pos-sible. The committee reached out to the Harbor-area ILWU members and pensioners requesting donations and then purchased toys at a discounted rate directly from the toy manufac-tures with the contributions that were collected. The committee is one of Mattel’s top buyers thanks to the gen-erous donations from the Southern California ILWU family.

The committee works with area-nonprofits such as the San Pedro Ser-vice Center, Headstart programs in San Pedro, Wilmington and Harbor City, Harbor Interfaith Services, and the Joseph B. O’Neal, Jr. Stroke Center to identify families in need.

Preparation for the children’s party began in the early morning of Decem-ber 19th with volunteers that included ILWU members, children and teens, setting out rows of toys and sports

Local 19 donates to several area charities

Local 19 members donated almost $15,000 in gifts and clothing to several local charities. Including $3,242 to the Harborview Burn Unit to restock their game room and provide gifts to three patients in the unit; $4,980 to Teen Feed Children on The Street and $2645 to Tree House, a charity for fos-ter children who were given gifts and back packs filled with supplies.

In addition, two Christmas trees were set up in the hall with giving cards attached. Our members donated another $4,000 worth of gifts that they purchased on their own using the giving cards and returned to the committee which were given to the Tree House charity.

equipment. By 9am the hall was filled with Christmas music and children and their families began filing into the ILWU Memorial Hall. Children were allowed to pick a toy of their choice and were treated to cookies, punch, face painting and a visit from Santa.

Locals 13, 26, 63, 94, the Auxillary #8, So. Cal Pensioners, Longshoremen Memorial Association and the Local 63 Memorial Association all made this year’s holiday party possible.

Bay Area toy drive

ILWU members and pension-ers in the Bay Area raised approxi-mately $7,000 in contributions which was used to purchase toys that were donated to the San Francisco Fire-fighters Union (Local 798) toy drive. Local 798’s program has been around since 1949 and serves tens of thou-sands of Bay Area children, said Jill Peeler, Local 798’s event coordinator. “This was an overly generous dona-tion,” Peeler said of the ILWU mem-bers’ contribution. “The economy is really down and we have been seeing an increase in the number of families who need assistance during the holi-days. We really appreciate everything

the ILWU has done. No other organi-zation donates this much.”

The holiday toy drive would not have been such a success were it not for the hard work of Toy Program Coordinator and Local 10 member Beth Susim. Beth has been coordinat-ing the drive since she was a casual. To encourage Local 10 members to donate to the drive, Beth made stock-ings with the name and registration number of members who donated at least $50. The stocking were hung in the Local 10 hiring hall. Smaller stock-ings were made for members who con-tributed $25.

This year’s toy drive was made possible by the donations of members from Local 10, 91, 75, 94 and the Bay Area Pensioners.

ILWU Locals show holiday spirit with generous toy drives along the Coast

Once again ILWU members up and down the West Coast pitched in to make Christmas possible for thousands of kids whose families have been struggling in this difficult

economy. Members, pensioners and Auxiliary clubs generously donated toys and time to their communities in the ILWU spirit of solidarity and helping those in need. Thousands of families who have been struggling to make ends meet because of the continued economic crisis were able to celebrate Christmas because of the generosity of ILWU members.

From Left to Right: Janiero Levar Baltrip (Local 10), Janis Smith, (Local 10). Enrique Roman, (Local 91), Beth Susmin, (Toy Program Coordinator),

Mike Villeggiante,(President, Local 10), Joy Daniels, Local 10.

Jill Peeler and DeWayne Eckerdt from the San Francisco Firefighters picked up the donations at the Local 10 hall. Toys were loaded onto a truck with the

help of ILWU volunteers.

Volunteers, including ILWU members, pensioners, children and teens organize the new toys inside ILWU Memorial Hall in Wilmington for the Southern

California Children’s party.

Volunteers began unloading pallets of toys in the early morning of December 19th for the Southern California Children’s party.

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DISPATCHER • January 2012 5

Tacoma Toy Drive

ILWU Local 23 members in Tacoma donated over $20,000 to the local’s annual toy drive fund. The holiday toy drive committee, Mandy Peterson, Kim Boespflug, Amy James, and Holly Hulscher and Charities Director, Dragan Butorac used the donations to purchase toys, bikes and clothing for over 400 children in need this year from a local union store.

On December 17th at the Local 23 Hall, representatives from nine local charity organizations along with Local 23 volunteers checked the lists with the children’s’ age and gender and picked out a toy for each child. There was even were enough toys for them to go around a second time to pick out a second toy for each child. Many families sent thank you cards to Local 23 and one of them said that the Local 23 was their Christmas miracle. They said they fell on some hard times and were finally getting on their feet and their two children received presents this year because of the generosity of members.

Local 23 members also donated over $20,000 in gifts cards for a union

store to children in local schools who are in need and try hard in school.

Local 502 donates to Surrey Food Bank

ILWU local 502 members from Surrey, British Columbia made their yearly Christmas contribution to the Surrey Food bank. Members also donated Christmas presents this year. In total $2,046 in cash and 800 pounds of food was collected.

Local 502 has become actively involved with various community events in recent years. Members have also raised thousands for Cancer research as well as the Vancouver Children’s Hospital for which they raised over $20,000 last year.

Local 14 Toy Drive

Local 14 members in Eureka contin-ued their longstanding tradition of sup-porting the Firefighter’s Toy Drive. More than 700 families on California’s north coast benefit from the holiday program. “We’re a small local, but our members have maintained their $500 donation to this program over the years,” says Local 14 Secretary-Treasurer Perry Bressman.

Local 23 members brightened the holidays for hundreds of local kids in the community.

Bay Area ILWU members came through with a huge donation of toys to the Local 798 Firefighters Toy Drive.

Local 19 volunteers filling backpacks with supplies for Tree House charity.

Michael Buble’s father, Lewis Buble, with the children of ILWU 502 members. Local 502 members supports the Vancouver Children’s Hospital and which Michael Buble is also actively involved in raising funds. He is a successful recording artist from Burnaby, British Columbia and an international star. He has won multiple Juno Awards, three Grammy Awards, has has had many number one hits around the world.

Local 502 would like to thank Michael Buble` and his family for their first class support and are honored to be a part of the Children’s Hospital fundraising team with them.

Carly Tabin along with ILWU Local 502 personnel present the donation to the Surrey Food Bank. tell you directly,” Lundquist said. “He always told me, ‘Not everyone is going to like you, but they can respect you.’”

Ron’s directness was an asset as a negotiator said Carl Nys, a friend and colleague of Delgarno. Nys worked alongside Ron on the docks and also served with him on the Labor Rela-tions Committee. “He wasn’t what you would call a diplomat. He wasn’t afraid to hurt the employer’s feelings and he definitely earned their respect,” Nys said. “Ron had a a multitude of truisms

that he used. One of his favorites was ‘Help the needy not the greedy,.’”

“He was the epitome of the long-shoreman of his time and before: strong as a bull, outspoken, and a hard work-ing rank-and-filer who cared deeply about the ILWU,” said Nys.

Dalgarno is survived by two sons, Dennis Dalgarno of Kalama and Dan Dalgarno (Mariann); a daughter, Ash-ley Dalgarno; two stepchildren, Jason and Kim Lundquist; a twin brother, Don Dalgarno; a sister, Jayne McPhee; and three grandchildren.

Ron Dalgarno, Local 21 member, rememberedcontinued from page 2

6 DISPATCHER • January 2012

place since 1934, EGT is a non PMA member participant, meaning that all payroll will be through the PMA.

However, while the ILWU and EGT have taken this important step forward and are now working together toward reconciliation and a productive labor management relationship, the Cowlitz County Prosecuting Attorney is busy filing new charges stemming from protests that took place months ago.

“The contract with EGT is a big win for the ILWU and the Longview community,” said ILWU International President Robert McEllrath, who led the settlement effort with ILWU Coast Committeeman Leal Sundet, Local 21 President Dan Coffman, and members of Local 21’s Negotiating Committee. McEllrath added: “But, this is not over. Individuals are still facing criminal charges related to our protest of EGT last summer. I won’t consider this over until the last member and supporter who stood up and said ‘no’ to the loss of our historic work is cleared.”

Legal issues remain

The resolution with EGT does not encompass all outstanding legal issues, including more than 100 cases filed against ILWU members and supporters by the Cowlitz County Prosecuting Attorney, Susan Baur, and more than $300,000 in fines sought by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) under the Taft Hartley Act and assessed against the ILWU by the Federal District Court in Tacoma. A number of legal issues remain pending before the NLRB, in the civil court system, and with the Cowlitz County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. These unresolved legal issues require attention and union resources.

In fact, as recently as Monday, February 13, Baur filed serious felony charges against an ILWU member who allegedly drove his log loader near a train last fall. Baur also indicated Monday that her office continues to review cases related to last summer’s labor dispute and that more charges may be coming. Baur’s escalation of criminal cases against ILWU members at a time when the Longview community is beginning the healing process, her continued prosecution of individuals with little to no evidence, and the pres-sure being placed on individuals to plead guilty to minor misdemeanors or face more serious felony charges is being addressed by the ILWU Inter-national leadership. Locally, union members are concerned and dismayed by local law enforcement’s continued retaliation against the ILWU.

“The ‘file charges first and look at the evidence later’ approach to law enforcement is wasting tons of taxpayer dollars and appears to be fueled by something other than pure and even-handed administration of the law,” stated ILWU Coast Committeeman Sundet.

Local 21 President Coffman added, “We are not criminals for protecting our jobs; the continuous intimidation tactics and this lately conceived esca-lation of charges have no place in our community that’s now trying to heal.”

To date, dozens of charges against ILWU members and supporters have been dropped for lack of evidence, and there have been a number of “not guilty” jury verdicts in train blocking and trespassing cases. These dropped charges and jury acquittals highlight the County’s lack of evidence and the outright waste of taxpayer money in pursuing individuals for their exercise of the First Amendment right to protest in a labor dispute.

In April, ILWU International President McEllrath himself is sched-uled to go to trial on trespass and train obstruction charges related to his involvement in a protest that took place on September 7, 2011. McEllrath is firm in his resolve to face the Cowlitz County Prosecuting Attorney with all remaining ILWU defendants and answer for the charges that stem from the union’s protest against EGT.

Appreciation for ILWU members, international solidarity, and the governor

Notwithstanding the work ahead to resolve the outstanding legal issues, the ILWU is reaching out to support-ers to express gratitude for their aid in resolving the dispute with EGT.

ILWU International President McEllrath praised Local 21 members and pensioners for their “courage and determination to win” and recognized the critical support that came from Locals 4, 8, 40 and 92, who worked Local 21’s round-the-clock pickets at EGT, protested alongside Local 21 on train tracks, and got arrested with their Longview brothers and sisters. McEll-rath noted that locals from the Puget Sound, Columbia River, and Northern and Southern California had all sent representatives on multiple occasions to Longview to rally in support of a Local 21 contract at EGT, and he thanked Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire for “helping us find common ground with EGT.”

McEllrath pointed out that unions representing millions of workers both domestically and around the world

EGT signs ILWU contract ending labor dispute, but County Attorney still prosecuting workers and supporterscontinued from page 1 sent messages of solidarity and offered

their support. He said, “The men and women of the ILWU, together with support from our friends and allies in local communities and around the world, won a labor dispute that many said couldn’t be won.”

Looking back on the dispute with EGT

The fight for ILWU jurisdiction began in 2009 when EGT, a multina-tional joint venture made up of Bunge North America, Korea-based STX Pan Ocean, and Japanese conglomerate Itochu, received a sweetheart deal from the Port of Longview and tax breaks to build a massive grain export terminal in exchange for the promise of good local jobs. Concerns were raised at the outset when EGT used non-union construction contractors, many from outside the region, to build the new facility instead of employing local union workers. Local 21 negotiated with EGT for approximately 14 months in an effort to reach an agreement with EGT similar to the Pacific Northwest Grain Handlers’ Agreement, but nego-tiations stalled in the face of EGT’s nonstarter proposals. The boiling point came when EGT cut off negotiations with Local 21 and hired a subcontrac-tor to begin operating its new facility. The subcontractor hired workers rep-resented by Operating Engineers (OE) Local 701 in Gladstone, Oregon, a move that enabled EGT to claim that it was “hiring union” despite the fact that EGT had no contract with OE Local 701 and could end its relationship with the subcontractor employing OE Local 701 members at any time.

A series of conflicts followed in the summer and fall of 2011 as EGT attempted to operate its facility with-out Local 21 members, who had performed the longshore work asso-ciated with grain export at the Port of Longview for more than 70 years. Major media sent cameras and reporters to Longview to document 24-hour picket lines, demonstrations on railroad tracks, and rallies with hundreds of people in attendance.

Boost from local businesses

Very early on in the dispute with EGT, Local 21 members began reach-ing out to local business owners with whom they built a solid base of sup-port. Owners were approached one on one to enlist their support for the ILWU’s “good jobs” fight. This eventually yielded support from about 400 local business owners who posted signs in their windows sup-porting the ILWU.

“People in Longview know that union jobs, wages and benefits make our community much healthier,” said Local 21 President Coffman, who credits Local 21 members for doing the leg-work needed to marshal support from local businesses.

ILWU outreach and billboard

Local 21 also got their “good jobs” message out to the community by going door-to-door in neighborhoods and by renting a billboard in town. “Everyone who came to Longview saw our posi-tive message about the ILWU’s longtime commitment to the community,” said Local 21 Vice President Jake Whiteside.

Showdown looming

The stage was set for a showdown in early January 2012 when ILWU Inter-national President McEllrath announced that the ILWU would take action if EGT tried to load the ship that was expected soon in Longview. Commu-nity groups independently announced their own action plans for Longview, and President Barack Obama’s admin-istration made the outrageous decision to employ the Coast Guard to “protect” EGT and escort the private corporation’s ship from the mouth of the Columbia River to the Port of Longview. Local law enforcement came to EGT’s aid as well and planned a large presence at the port for the ship’s arrival, a move they later passed off as a training exercise in the local newspaper.

Breakthrough on January 23

The first major breakthrough in the dispute with EGT came on January 23, when Washington State Governor Gregoire announced that a tentative settlement had been reached between EGT and ILWU representatives on the pending legal issues between the two parties. Her announcement fol-lowed months of difficult negotiations between the ILWU and EGT. EGT promptly released the subcontractor that it had hired to run its operation and as a consequence OE Local 701 workers ceased working at the facility.

Unanimous support for settlement

Members of Local 21 met in their union hall the day after the Governor’s announcement to discuss the proposed settlement with EGT. After extensive dis-cussion, the Local 21 rank and file voted unanimously to approve the settlement.

Union recognition

On January 30 and 31, workers at EGT’s Longview facility signed union authorization cards indicating their choice to be represented by Local 21.

Local 21 members recreate famous 1934 ILWU strike photo. From Left to Right Chic Ford, Doug Coffman, Ron Stavas, Jason Lundquist, Shelly Porter, Ralph Rider, Kelly Muller, Jake Whiteside, Matt Hellem, Kyle Mackey and Byron Jacobs.

continued on page 8

DISPATCHER • January 2012 7

Students at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle, who stood with

ILWU in the fight with Rite Aid, helped food service workers in the Dominican Republic who are fighting to win union recognition from food-service giant Sodexo. ILWU Local 19 members joined the students in this fight which resulted in UW terminating its contract with Sodexo because of their anti-union practices. In recent years, Dominican workers employed by Sodexo in the town of Pueblo Viejo have been fired for speak-ing out against sweatshop conditions and forming a union of 300 members, SitraSodexoDO. Sodexo operates on many college campuses in the United States, including UW.

In early 2011, UW United Stu-dents Against Sweatshops (UW-USAS) members travelled from Seattle to Pueblo Viejo to meet with the workers struggling to organize there. They later hosted fired SitraSodexoDO member Karina Mieses’s when she visited UW to speak about the company’s abusive working conditions— including wage theft, sub-poverty wages and harass-ment from management. Other work-ers fired for organizing include Maria Magdalena Ortega Jimenez, Carin Yadel Mieses, Maraquia Penalo Rodri-guez and Heriberto Sosa Morillo.

United Students Against Sweat-shops, the national student movement which coordinated with ILWU to carry out actions at Rite Aid stores in multi-ple states, has led a powerful campaign at schools across the country in sup-port of workers struggling for justice at Sodexo all over the world. Human Rights Watch and TransAfrica Forum recently released reports spotlighting the multinational corporation’s human

After the campus actions, UW-USAS leaders thanked President Wil-liams and committed to keeping ILWU updated on the campaign. In the fol-lowing weeks, students continued to escalate pressure on the UW adminis-tration.

Finally, after 14 months and 55 arrests of students demanding UW end its relationship with Sodexo, university management announced on December 14th it would terminate the school’s $3.4 million contract with the union-busting concessions company.

USAS’s victory at UW is the latest in a long string of wins where students have forced their campuses to sever

contractual ties because of outrage over human and labor rights violations.

In spreading the good news, Mor-gan Currier from UW-USAS reminded union and community members that “the fight to stop Sodexo’s violations isn’t over… please take a moment to tell Sodexo about the UW’s decision and urge them to stop their anti-union crackdown in the Dominican Republic.”

rights violations in the US, Dominican Republic, Morocco, and Guinea.

In Colombia, two Sodexo work-ers and members of the union SIN-ALTRAINAL (which also represents Coca-Cola workers) fighting for a new union contract with Sodexo were murdered last year, while a third leader received death threats to have his tongue cut out.

Last year in Seattle, UW-USAS members launched a no-holds barred campaign to force recalcitrant univer-sity officers to throw Sodexo off cam-pus and end its contract to provide concessions at Husky and other UW events. Students met with Sodexo workers, held rallies, did banner drops and held three occupations of UW administrative offices, leading to doz-ens of arrests.

On the heels of the Rite Aid victory, ILWU rose to the invitation when some of the same UW-USAS student leaders who had leafleted and picketed Seattle Rite Aid stores called for backup in broadening the struggle to move UW to end its complicity in union-busting.

In late May 2011, Local 19 Presi-dent Cameron Williams and Interna-tional Organizer Jon Brier joined UW-USAS leaders on campus, dropping in for a surprise appearance at the joint student/staff Trademarks Committee (overseeing garment licensing issues), on which influential members of then-UW President Wise’s administrative staff sit.

In accordance with UW-USAS’s demands, the ILWU delegation urged administration staff members to end UW’s contract with Sodexo, drop pend-ing charges against students arrested in solidarity protests, and work with UW-USAS to ensure the school’s future use of contractors who do not violate human and labor rights.

From there, the delegation joined up with UW-USAS leaders Morgan

Currier, Eunice How, Allie Padgett and others to march on UW Interim President Phyllis Wise’s office. While President Wise’s administrative staff attempted to cut short discussion and dismiss the group, ILWU delegates refused to leave before having deliv-ered the message of solidarity with Sodexo workers and students and secured a commitment to relay it to President Wise.

Local 19 President Williams’ letter read in part:

We believe that UW students have attempted, at first through dialogue and only as a last resort through pro-test, to persuade the university to honor its own values and commit-ment to global citizenship. In doing so, they set an admirable example for the university as whole, the Seattle community, and the State of Wash-ington. We strongly encourage the University of Washington to drop all criminal charges against members of the Kick Out Sodexo Coalition and terminate the university’s busi-ness relationship with Sodexo immediately.

UW students throw union-buster Sodexo off campus with ILWU solidarity

Solidarity is powerful: ILWU Local 19 President Cameron Williams with UW-USAS members. With Local 19’s solidarity, USAS was able to get the UW to cancel its contract with Sodexo for its anti-workers policies around the world

Local 13 E-Board member Mark Jurisic recieves LAPD ’Hero Award’

Mark Jurisic, ILWU Local 13 E-Board member, was presented with the

LAPD’s “Hero Award” for his act of bravery on September 8th when he stopped to render assistance to an injured pedestrian who was struck by a vehicle while crossing the street. Jurisic was on his way to work when the collision occured at 5:50 am on Pacific Coast Highway and Ronan Avenue in Wilmington, CA. A motorist in a 2008 Ford Ranger was travelling east on Pacific Coast Highway and struck an elderly man that was attempting to cross the street. The man was incapacitated and severely injured.

Without hesistation, Jurisic stop- ped his vehicle to assist the injured pedestrian. He gave CPR to the man for 5 minutes until paramedics arrived. Other motorists also stopped, but Jurisic was the only one who knew CPR, thanks to the a recent course he took at the ILWU Memorial Hall provided by the Pensioners.

“Though the elderly man later suc-cumbed to his injuries, Mr. Jurisic clearly illustrated concern for a fallen citizen and his act of heroism exempli-fied genuine compassion for humanity,” said Captain Phillip Tingirides of the Los Angeles Police Department. “Not only did Mark stop to render aid to someone unknown to him he attempted to save a life and The Los Angeles Police Department honors Mr. Mark Jurisic for his act of bravery and we recognize you as a community hero.”

Jurisic stayed at the scene of the

accident until LAPD arrived to provide emotional support to the driver of the truck. He was only 18 years old and did not see the man crossing the busy street in the dark. Mark has six chil-dren and knew exactly what to say to help this young man. The man was on his way to work and Jurisic called his family to let them know what happened and also called the man’s employer to explain that he would not

be on time to his job that day. Mark left his ILWU business card with the officers and finally continued on to the dispatch hall. He never thought twice about stopping to provide help.

Other ILWU members that were on their way to dispatch recognized Mark and were later able to tell the family of the man who had come to their father’s aid. The man’s son is a Casual Long-shoreman in Los Angeles-Long Beach.

Community Hero: (L to R): ILWU Local 13 President JoJo Cortez, LAPD Police Chief Charlie Beck, and ILWU Local 13 member Mark Jurisic. Jurisic was awarded the LAPD ’Hero Award’ forstopping to render assistance to a man who was struck by a vehicle while crossing the street in Wilmington. Jurisic performed CPR on the man until paramedics arrived. He was trained in CPR at the ILWU Memorial Hall in course provided by the Pensioners.

8 DISPATCHER • January 2012

ILWU BOOK & VIDEO ORDER FORMORDER BY MAIL

___ copies of Solidarity Stories @ $17 ea. = $_____

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___ copies of We Are the ILWU VHS @ $5 ea. = $_____

___ copies of A Life on the Beam DVD @ $5 ea. = $_____

Total Enclosed $_____

No sales outside the U.S.

We regret that u.S. Customs and postal regulations create too great a burden for our staff to maintain book sale service to our members and friends outside the united States.

Name____________________________________________________________________

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Make check or money order (u.S. Funds) payable to “IlWu” and send to

ILWU Library, 1188 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94109

Prices include shipping and handling.

Please allow at least four weeks for delivery. Shipment to u.S. addresses only

NEW PENSIONERS: Local 4: jean M. Stanek; Local 10: raoul robinson; Walter l. Cook; George E. robertson; Dave Williams; Marva j. Wright; Local 13: Garland W. Berseth; Martin a. Bellhouse; janet W. Gonzalez; Gloria j. Grajeda; Enrique M. Borja; David lewis; johnny C. Brow; Christopher W. Ellis; john a. Camello; Francisco M. Viloria; Local 19: Claire Cumberland; alexander Baroumes; Dean l. Gerke; Patrick D. o’connor jr; Local 26: Dale E. Mcmillin; Local 27: Donald S. Craker; Local 29: Carlos Silva; Local 40: james B. Hennessey; jerry F. Mosteller; Marvin a. Mackey; Local 52: William Peck; Local 54: james l. Wilson; Local 63: james D. Mull; Patricia r. Garrett; Forestine Thompson; Christopher F. Stephens; arthur j. Patterson; Local 91: richard Kahoalii;

DECEASED PENSIONERS: Local 10: William M. johnson; junior

Foreman; lawrence Herd; jose a. Grandov (jennifer); joseph Irby; Melvin Davis; louis a. ables Iii; Willie Clarke; Local 13: Nick Mascolo (Mary); Emeterio Molina; leroy Woodson; Local 21: alvin Vilhauer; Howard E. Phillips (Vieno); ronald V. Davis; Local 23: john D. johnson; Local 40: richard B. Waibel (Nadyne); Local 63: Paul C. Folz; Frank j. Franko; David r. Valadez; Local 91: leslie Gentry; Local 92: john N. Zarrick; Local 94: robert a. Mac Kenzie (raquel); richard a. ambrosi;

DECEASED SURVIVORS: COAST Local 8: Marguerite M. Groshong; julia C. Dupuis; Stella Goetz; Elizabeth M. Bacon; Local 10: amanda l. Winslow; Mary lopez; opal alexander; Elizabeth j. Bower; Diana Cascarejo; Local 12: juanita Willsey; Local 13: Berniece anderson; Local 14: Elmurry Claybon; Local 54: Celestine N. Silva; Local 98: Kathryn jacroux;

A Helping Hand......when you need it most. That’s what we’re all about. We are the representatives of the ILWU-sponsored recov-ery programs. We provide professional and confidential assistance to you and your family for alcoholism, drug abuse and other problems—and we’re just a phone call away

ADRP—Southern California Jackie Cummings870 West Ninth St. #201San Pedro, CA 90731(310) 547-9966

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ILWU WAREHOUSE DIVISION

DARE—Northern CaliforniaTeamsters Assistance Program300 Pendleton WayOakland, CA 94621(510) 562-3600

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ILWU CANADA

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ILWU LONGSHORE DIVISION

TRANSITIONS

Happy Birthday, Lena: ILWU Local 6 pensioner, Lena Gallardo, turned 96 with the New Year. Lena joined Local 6 in 1937. She worked at the Hiram Walker liquor bottling plant and several other houses. She went to work at MJB coffee in 1943 and worked there for the next 40 years. She participated in three major strikes including “the big one” in 1949. She retired in 1983. Lena still regularly attends meetings of the Local 6 West Bay Pensioners’ Club. She cur-rently stands less than 5 feet tall but you know when she’s present. Her voice is still loud enough to be heard over the seamer’s at MJB. – Fred Pecker

negotiated for decades with the own-ers and operators of the six major grain export facilities in Seattle, Tacoma, and Vancouver, Washington, and in Port-land, Oregon – will be up for renego-tiation in less than a year. Meanwhile, changes in the global economy, includ-ing China’s growing consumption and Canada’s restructuring of the way it exports grain, mean that the grain export business will be lucrative for many years to come.

ILWU Coast Committeeman Sun-det stated, “The ILWU contract with EGT is key to standardization of the grain export industry on the West Coast, particularly with respect to labor costs. This standardization brings sta-bility for everyone from the farmer to the overseas importer, and it guarantees profit throughout the market chain.”

Final resolution

While the ILWU considers its con-tract with EGT an important milestone in ILWU history and for the labor move-ment in general, ILWU International President McEllrath is quick to remind people not to celebrate too soon or lose sight of the individuals who made the contract possible with the courage of protest. “Like I said and keep saying, I will not stand down until every per-son who stood up for the ILWU during this long and often bitter labor dispute is free from threat of criminal pros-ecution. That’s my job, and I’ll see it through whatever the outcome.”

On February 1, an arbitrator verified that the cards were authentic and that a majority of workers had chosen Local 21 as their collective bargaining repre-sentative. EGT and ILWU representa-tives then signed a recognition agree-ment and committed to negotiate the details of a collective bargaining agree-ment for all landside and shipside oper-ations in the days ahead.

The ship calls

On February 6, the bulk grain ship that had been escorted up the Colum-bia River by the Coast Guard was tied up and loaded at the EGT facility by Local 21 members.

As the grain ship MV Full Sources docked at EGT, Local 21 Secretary Treasurer Byron Jacobs, who had been arrested several times during the dem-onstrations, told the local media, “We’re excited to be moving in the right direc-tion and to do what we do best – load-ing and unloading ships.” There is no lingering animosity, he said, just “posi-tive feelings. … We’re ready to move forward and mend our relationship.”

Contract signed

On February 10, Local 21 signed a collective bargaining agreement with EGT.

Looking ahead

The Pacific Northwest Grain Han-dlers’ Agreement – the collective bar-gaining agreement that the ILWU has

EGT signs ILWU contract ending labor dispute, but County Attorney still prosecuting workers and supporterscontinued from page 6

Looking forward: Local 21 members are now working at the EGT grain terminal in Longview, WA after an agreement was reached with the company, end-ing months of conflict.

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